Carmen - Dionysia Opera Festival

When?

Where?

About

It’s not her generous crimson lips nor her smouldering kohl-lined eyes, or the raven curls that cascade down her back. It isn’t the chili pepper red push-up bra hoisting her ample cleavage either.No, the secret to the feisty gypsy Carmen’s fatal attraction for men is her “charisma,” says the mezzo soprano who has portrayed her 170 times in the past five years with multiple opera houses around the world.“She’s smart, she’s not like all the others. She has confidence. That security is always fascinating; it attracts men,” says Anita Rachvelishvili.Although it is a tragedy, the first two acts are nothing but “drinking, having fun, smoking and dancing. Then, she becomes a drama queen,” Rachvelishvili says with a laugh.

Plucked from obscurity in 2009 at age 25 by maestro Daniel Barenboim to star in Carmen in La Scala, Rachvelishvili has never had to beat the bushes for jobs as the notoriety — and success — surrounding her role debut became her calling card. And, in September, Anita will be Carmen in the first edition of #DionysiaOperaFestivalMore info at https://goo.gl/Ug2wqC